Springsteen on Broadway / 2CD or 4LP

Sony Music will in December issue SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY an album of music and stories from Bruce Springsteen taken from his one-man show in New York City which started in October last year and finishes next month.
The show is based on his best-selling autobiography ‘Born to Run,’ and features Bruce, his acoustic guitar, a piano, and his very personal stories. In addition, the show includes a special appearance by Patti Scialfa.

The new album is the complete live performance of the show and comes as a two-CD set or a 4LP vinyl package. This set is also being promoted as the “soundtrack to the Netflix film of the same name” because Netflix will broadcast the show in December of this year.

SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY is released on 14 December 2018, a day before Bruce’s last show (his 236th) at the The Walter Kerr Theatre.

DISC 2
1. Born In the U.S.A. (Introduction)
2. Born In the U.S.A.
3. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (Introduction)
4. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
5. Tougher Than the Rest (Introduction)
6. Tougher Than the Rest
7. Brilliant Disguise (Introduction)
8. Brilliant Disguise
9. Long Time Comin’ (Introduction)
10. Long Time Comin’
11. The Ghost of Tom Joad (Introduction)
12. The Ghost of Tom Joad
13. The Rising
14. Dancing In the Dark (Introduction)
15. Dancing In the Dark
16. Land of Hope and Dreams
17. Born To Run (Introduction)
18. Born To Run

43 responses to Springsteen on Broadway / 2CD or 4LP

In response to my own comment above on November 5, 2018, my U.S. copy was just dropped off at my door minutes ago and I am thrilled to say that it unexpectedly includes a download code. Unless I’m mistaken this was not advertised anywhere (cue eighteen people pointing me to somewhere that Paul says it).

Columbia has gotten away from providing anything extra in some releases, whereas at one point not long ago they included CD copies in some vinyl issues. Getting one with this unwieldy set–whose vinyl incarnation will be fun to spin during my initial days with the album, before getting archived in my stacks–means I will play it much more. Very pleased. (The packaging is also cool, with a wraparound slipcover whose lettering is see-through.)

Ordered LP & CD. Lucky enough to see the show in April and was moved to tears by it. Read the bore of an article that someone posted a link to. People don’t have to go if they don’t want to. I was desperate to. Having failed miserably to get tickets from the UK, I walked into the box office at the Walter Kerr Theatre and was amazed to be able to buy one. I had seen Bruce many times before but this was a very special evening indeed. The ticket cost me $500 (£350) which I didn’t really have but hey ho. I don’t approve of the pricing structure for this run but I don’t begrudge Bruce a penny (or cent) of what I paid. The evening affected me profoundly. The storytelling is integral to the performance so I, for one, wouldn’t want to skip the stories (the word “introductions” is poorly applied here and is misleading, I think). In fact, I have been listening to a fan recording found online pretty much on repeat for months now and haven’t tired of anything. Can’t wait to have a really good recording of this remarkable show. Oh, and if a Blu Ray comes out I’ll have that too.

Pity that Columbia went from including CDs in vinyl packaging, then to including a download card, to now including no way of getting the digital files along with vinyl purchases. I would like the vinyl of this set and wish there’d be a download card included.

I was lucky enough to see Springsteen on Broadway last month, $800, 2 rows back. No one spends that sort of money to see anyone unless they are a fan, so I won’t spend any time stating the obvious. My observations were:
A) The audience (myself included) were all 50+ which was in itself telling and somewhat depressing. Then again not many kids have $800 to spend. Many were from NJ.
B) The show itself was somewhat prescriptive and formulaic- it wasn’t in any way spontaneous but was written as if it was. That’s probably ok for a NY show but not for a concert and for a somewhat cynical Londoner it was a little too scripted and that didn’t sit easy with me.
C) The sound was great, and being 3 rows back the evening did feel very intimate.
D) The autocue… that’s what killed the magic. The big screen behind the stalls that the audience can’t see with the words on. It can’t be hard, but there it was.

Was I glad I went? Yes.
Would I go again? No.
Would I buy the record? Nope.

Can we ban Australians fron this site? They complain about the price every time. In Canada we get freezing temperatures for 5-6 months of the year, sometimes as low as -40C. Australia has a considerably better climate so you are lucky to be there and should accordingly pay higher prices for the privilege ;)

It made me realize how lucky I was to get to see Kate Bush 3 times in a month for well under £500 all-in, including travel etc.

Although some were quick to criticize “this isn’t a tour” it was the only way it was ever going to happen. And at the grand age of 51 it is a pain in the harris to have to go to Morrison’s for Mint Sauce on a Sunday afternoon so I get why the idea of schlepping round a country at nearly 60 wasn’t appealing.

It does bring to the fore the argument of whether an artist “owes the fans”, personally I don’t think they do. Every penny I have ever shelled out on Oldfield, Kate or Sylvian I have got something for it. I buy a record and I get to enjoy it for a very long time, 30, 35, 45 years. So I don’t buy into this “doing it for the fans” who put you where you are….. We got recompense many times over for the money we have spent. Your mileage may differ of course but I really can’t agree with the words that DO appear on every thread “Cash Grab” or “Cash in”. It’s their life’s work and no one holds a gun to anyone’s head.

I don’t necessarily disagree, however it’s a fair point to say Springsteen’s career has been built on singing songs based on/inspired by working class life and experience so it does possibly leave him open to criticism when those very people are priced out of the equation. It would be nice to see an extremely rich artist do something different as outlined in the article.
For example, I’m impressed that Massive Attack are putting on two shows here in Bristol next year. There was no suitable venue so they are creating one for the gigs and the show promises to be costly including special guests etc (Liz Fraser confirmed so far), despite that tickets are a pretty reasonable, by today’s standards, £47 plus booking fee. Granted still too much if you are unemployed or on a low wage.

That is a salient (and imho correct) point. Simon. Not that Springsteen seems to be a champagne socialist, but it is a trap that many UK artists from Jimmy Somerville, Paul Weller, Billy Bragg, Stephen Duffy et al have had to tread very lightly around. Bono I guess having the most trouble negotiating what the mouth says versus what the accountant suggests. Probably because he is the richest of the lot, has the most to say and hasn’t quite faded away to the extent that most of the “Red Wedge” artists have.

The $8000 is a ludicrous figure. I had a ticket that cost $75. Quoting prices from the secondary market is unfair. The highest priced tickets were officially $800 (yes, that’s high) with price points in berween down to $75. If you made enough effort you could get a ticket at one of those prices. It is a tiny theatre, nowhere really bad to sit (except for terrible knee room!). It is a hit Broadway show and they are expensive.

As Bruce Springsteen and the Clash are on the same label (CBS/Sony), I thought this box set was a compilation similar (or kind of hommage) to Clash on Broadway (which was a superb long box with a nice book). I remember buying that box set back in 1991.

I like Springsteen but not really interested by a double cd consisting of music and stories. I would buy it if it was a blu-ray or dvd. Since it will be on Netflix, I’ll just watch the show on Netflix and save money.

I suspect that this is a listen to once product. On the 1975-85 box set he spends 7 or 8 minutes talking before singing the River. Great first time, but enough, thanks. I presume it will be available to stream and will give the 4 LPs a miss.
Incidentally, these 3 or 4 LP live sets take up a lot of space and, frankly, I think I prefer the CDs (or in Steven Wilson’s case the blu-ray).
Would love to have gone to the show, nonetheless.

I actually prefer that way, there are some lives albums where the introductions to the song are put either at the beginning of the track or at the end of the previous track; at least this way you can jump to the track you want if you want to bypass the introduction or to the introduction you want to hear it/

The Netflix show which this album is the soundtrack of comes from one performance.It was an extra afternoon show put on with an invited audience.
For Dean above that it is done these ways because the spoken sections are often nearly as long as the songs and this tracking makes it easier to skip them as not many people would want repeated listens to 4 minute introductions.Tough for the vinyl people though.

Won’t bore you with when I first saw Bruce or how many times, just wish he’d get this Broadway thing out of his system, write some decent new songs (instead of recycling old ones), get the E Street Band back together and record a great album. It’s about time.

Agreed – although I gather he completed a solo album over a year ago, so it’s a bit frustrating to see that this is probably going to stay on ice for a while yet.

The ‘Born To Run’ autobiography was fascinating and I’ve no doubt this will have been a spellbinding show for those fortunate enough to be in the audience; I’m just not sure I really want a record of it. (A DVD, maybe – although it’s likely even that might only get watched once or twice before being filed alongside ‘VH1 Storytellers’.)

I can’t help finding it a little sad when great songwriters apparently become less interested in releasing new material, and more preoccupied with nostalgia tours or churning out backstories like some venerable raconteur on the after-dinner circuit, however illuminating those anecdotes may be. As someone once said, talking about music is like singing about economics!

ordered.I was lucky to see the show two days in October 2017.The chance to see Springsteen in a small theatre is priceless.although two hours are not enough to resume a whole music life the experience was superb.No words to describe how he can sing even without a micro.

Hmmm. Netflix to show the same show the night after? I guess Bruce wanted to get the audio out before Xmas so it end up under the tree but I wonder if the Netflix show will end up on video. Usually most of his HBO stuff was on video [but not all].

This isn’t a comment on the Springsteen release, but it has served as the catalyst for my reflection on the situation 25-30 years ago as compared to now. Back then, a cd was approximately twice as much as the vinyl equivalent. Today, it seems that the vinyl costs nearly four times as much as the cd. Oh, how the times they do change….

Already ordered the 4xLP. Whether or not this is a wise move I do not know, having to listen to the dialogue every time the LP is played dosen`t appeal. First couple of plays OK more not OK. I may cancel and order the CD.

Paul, it would be really useful if you could remind people to steer clear of political statements. It would get real messy real soon with people all over the world chiming in. Golden age you’ve done it several times now, all from the same political point of view and this is not the place for it. If it is the place for it then I am in the wrong place.

He’s my favorite artist of all time. I’ve seen him 60+ times live and nothing prepared me for the sheer honesty and the brutal truth that made up this show. It was like no other show of his I’d ever seen. I am looking forward to this set. By the way, his official website has bundles available for both formats that also include a nice looking lithograph.

I am a self admitted Bruce-o-file, starting in 1975 with the two shows at the Hammersmith Odeon and most recently in New York for Springsteen on Broadway.

The soundtrack releases on December 14 and the Netflix special is on the 15th. The experience of being at the Walter Kerr was the proximity to Springsteen, the intimacy of his story telling which extended portions of his biography and meeting like minded folks who had travelled from far and wide.

As an audio disc/LP it could be a little cumbersome as each song has a very lengthy introduction which may not benefit frequent plays. Perhaps the narrative and music will be separated we shall see.

Having been to the show, I will, of course, buy this to set alongside the T shirt, Tote Bag, Coffee Mug and Tour Poster that I had to have.

Hoping for great things from the Netflix special and I have a deffo sense of privilege that I saw the show in New York

Paul
We went through the second lottery with the super secret ticketmaster code which dropped at the last minute. It was sort of bang bang two tickets for a Friday night in New York in January…..hang on a sec how much did I just pay !

For my wife and me, the show was incredible. Bruce gave a sense of intimacy and sharing, and I have not begrudged the ticket price given the experience. Talking about Clarence Clemons while playing Tenth Avenue Freeze Out on the piano gave me chills. And the portion on faith (without spoiling it) is extraordinary